Stereoscopic imaging typically involves capturing at least two images of a scene from two or more different perspectives (e.g., with parallel optical axes that are offset from each other by some distance), such that the images provide depth information about the scene. For example, the images could be taken using two cameras having optical axes that are substantially parallel, which are separated horizontally (relative to a horizon of the scene) by a distance that may be referred to as the “baseline.” An individual image generated by stereo imaging could include image data related to the contents of the scene (e.g., the color, shape, location perpendicular to the direction a corresponding perspective, or other properties of contents of the scene) while differences between two images generated by stereo imaging could be related to the location of the contents of the scene relative to the corresponding two perspectives.
Generally, differences between two images generated by stereo imaging can be related to the depth (i.e., the distance between contents of the scene and the corresponding perspective in a direction parallel to the orientation of the perspectives) of contents of the scene. For example, an object that is deeper in the scene (i.e., that is further away from the cameras) will generally appear at locations in the two images that are closer to one another within the image frame, than an object that is closer to the camera. As a specific example, an object that is very close to the two cameras (e.g., a few inches away) will appear at locations in the two images that are separated by a much greater distance, in the image frame, than an object that is far away (e.g., 10 feet or more).